Balto: Love and Losses
by silentXtears9331
Summary: Friends are lost and found... Surprises come and go... But love lasts forever.
1. Chapter 1

Okay... here's the deal. I've never written any fics outside of Phil of the Future, but the weird thing is that this idea came to me in a dream. I'm a big fan of Balto, but unfortunately I haven't seen the third movie :(. If anyone knows where to find it, please let me know! I would greatly appreciate it! Anyway, so begins a new Balto fic... I don't know how good it will be. Please read, review, and enjoy!

Chapter 1 - A New Friend

"Oh, Balto... it's so beautiful! You're so sweet!" Jenna exclaimed, licking Balto unstoppably as she gazed at the snowy scene before her.

"Hey, I told you I had a surprise vacation spot for us!" Balto exclaimed, with a smile from ear to ear. Jenna eventually pulled away from Balto and started to explore the site. "And the best part is... the weather is supposed to be clear until we get home. That means no snowstorms."

"Good. Because you remember what happened last time," Jenna said, referring to Balto's journey to find Aleu, getting caught in a snowstorm on the way home.

Balto put on an innocent smile and said, "I love you, honey."

Jenna rolled her eyes and said worriedly, "Oh, please... don't even try that, Balto. I was very worried about you! And then I was mad because you got so sick. And to top it all off, I didn't get to say goodbye to Aleu!"

Balto sighed and licked Jenna to comfort her. "Jen, I'm sure we'll see her again."

"I can only hope."

Then Boris walked onto the scene. "Oh, please, Balto, you and I both know that she's ne--"

Balto interrupted him by sitting down on his head hard. "Say one more word and you're wolf chow."

He then sat up and glared at Boris. "Understood?" he asked.

Boris gulped and said, "Yes, whatever. I'll be over there," he said, pointing to the small icy cave. He then walked over, mumbling something about pickled herring. Balto smiled and rolled his eyes and then turned to Jenna.  
"Why is Boris even here? We were supposed to have a quiet vacation."

"I know, honey... he must have followed us here." He then licked Jenna again comfortingly and said through gritted teeh, "He can be very frustrating sometimes. But you get used to it."

"Yeah. Right."

Then they saw a ram coming down the mountain... well, falling, rather.

"Ouch- oof! Ah- ow!" he cried every time he hit something. He eventually fell down onto the ground right in front of Balto and Jenna.

"Uh... sorry about that. I... kinda fell," he said worriedly. "You're not gonna hurt me, are you?"

Balto smiled at him and stuck out his paw. "Not at all. Name's Balto and this is my wife, Jenna." The ram shook his paw and then shook Jenna's.

"Oh, that's great. Usually the wolves I meet wanna rip me apart."

"Well... actually... I'm only part wolf."

"How is that? That's impossible."

"No it's not... my mom was a wolf, my dad was a dog."

"Oh. Well that's not so bad. I'm not gonna judge you for what you are," the ram said nicely.

"Thanks. Most people do, though."

"Well that's just not fair. Not fair at all."

"Yeah. Anyway, what's your name?" Balto asked.

"Oh, sorry, I plum forgot. My name's Aries."

"Where did you get that name from"  
"I really don't know."

"And what about your wife? she sure doesn't look like a wolf."

"She's not. She's a purebred husky."

"Oh, that's nice. You are very pretty, Jenna."

"Aw, thank you, Aries!" she exclaimed.

He smiled and then said to Balto, "So how long do you plan on being here?"

"About four or five days."

"Oh... you need to leave now."

Balto and Jenna furrowed their brows uncertainly.  
"Why?" Jenna asked.

"Because... this is a volcano. And it is active."

"So you're saying it could erupt any minute?" Jenna asked. Aries nodded his head slowly.

"But what are the chances of that happening?" Balto asked.

Aries said nothing as Balto and Jenna heard a rumbling sound. They looked around and saw some snow falling.

"Oh my dog... Aries, can you--" But he stopped in mid-sentence. Aries had disappeared.

End of Chapter 1

Okay, more to come soon. Please read and review!

Jenna looked down and Balto and nudged him comfortingly 


	2. New Additions

Okay... I'm not too sure how to spell Balto's mom's name... bear with me, ok? Super. Enjoy chapter 2! (haha!)

Chapter 2 - New Additions 

"What the... Balto, where did Aries go?" Jenna asked, raising her voice over the sound of the rumbling mountain.

"I don't know, Jen, we just need to get outta here!" he exclaimed. Then Boris came waddling out, yelling, his tail feathers burnt to a crisp.

"For herring's sake, let's get out of here!" he yelled as he ran down the icy path that led out of the mountain.

Balto and Jenna looked at each other worriedly and then ran out of the pass.  
About thirty minutes later Jenna began to grow cold and it was hard for her to move. But that wasn't the only reason.

"Balto... I... can't... move," she said slowly. Balto's eyes grew wide with worry and he turned around quickly to her as she collapsed in the snow.

"Jenna, what's wrong? Are you cold?"

"Yeah, that, and... my stomach... it... it hurts."

"Oh my dog... no, you're not... you're not having the puppies, are you?" Jenna looked up at him and nodded slowly.

Balto closed his eyes and breathed out slowly while Jenna said, "I don't think we should have gone on a vacation when I was PREGNANT, Balto!"

"Well, sor--ry! I thought you might wanna go"  
"When I'm pregnant, no. When I'm healthy and kicking, yes." Balto sighed as Jenna cried out in pain. She tried to stand up, but it was no use. Balto began to get worried. He looked around and saw a deserted cabin up ahead, not too far away.  
"Jenna, look! There's a cabin up ahead. Do you think you can make it?"

Jenna looked up from the snow at the cabin and sighed. "I might be able to." Balto smiled and helped her up.

Once in a while she cried out in pain, but they eventually got there, her water breaking on the way. Balto, Jenna, and Boris climbed through the doggie door. The cabin was perfectly furnished with chairs, a bed, and even a dog bed.

Through all the dirt and grime on the dog bed, Balto, Jenna, and Boris could not see the name of the pet engraved on it. It read "Anaiu."

Jenna dragged herself into the dog bed. After at least an hour, she had had three puppies, as healthy as ever.

"Oh, Balto... I'm never having kids again."

"Oh, darn!" he said. Jenna laughed but then got what he was trying to say and she kicked him in the leg.

"Ow!"

"What do you think we should name them, Balto?" Jenna asked. Balto plopped down on the floor and thought about it, but thought of the perfect name for the white puppy that was crawling around on the floor.

"I have a great name for the white one."

"What would that be?"

Balto smiled and nudged his small daughter. "Anaiu," he said. "Her name is Anaiu."

Jenna half smiled at him. She thought it was a great name for her daughter, but she also felt a bit of sorrow in her heart that everytime Balto called out their daughter's name, he would think of his mother.

"That's a great name, honey. Anaiu it is." Balto grinned at her and they nuzzled each other lovingly.

"So what are we going to name these two rascals?" Balto asked, glancing at his new children. But for some reason, he couldn't take his eyes off of Anaiu.

"Hey, I like Rascal! For our new little boy." Jenna said, licking the puppy softly.

"Yeah, okay. That works. Rascal it is."

"Let's see... one left to name," Jenna said. She looked at Balto, but he was still looking at Anaiu.

"Balto?" she asked him. She nudged his shoulder and he looked at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Jenna... she just reminds me so much of my mother."

"It's okay, honey. But what do you want to name this one?"

"Uh... you pick."

"Okay... do you like Rosie?" Balto turned to Jenna and she frowned. "Every time I call out her name I'll remember her," she said sadly, referring to Rosie's unsuspected death.

"As I will with my mother. Yes, I do like it"  
"Good. Anaiu, Rascal, and Rosie," she said, scanning her eyes over them. Balto did the same.

"Well, it's kind of weird that there was a cabin out here in the middle of nowhere," Jenna said, looking down at her puppies as they rested by her side.

"Yeah, I know," Balto said as he walked over to the window slowly and looked up at the moon.

"It's as if it appeared out of nowhere," Jenna said.

"Yeah. I think we have a guardian angel protecting us," Balto said as he gazed at the moon. As he heard a wolf howl off in the distance, he smiled. It was as if the sound was coming from the very stars above their heads.

Then he said, "Infact, I know we do. And I know who it is."

End of Chapter 2

Do YOU know who the guardian angel is? Review and guess! 


	3. Lost and Found

I haven't gotten any reviews :'(! Either you guys aren't reading it or you're just too lazy to push the review button... either way, PLEASE review this fic! I DO accept anonymous reviews, ya know! I guess there aren't many Balto fans out there... I can't believe that! Oh, and I don't remember how Balto's mom died, so I'm just gonna say it was a fight, okay? Enjoy chapter 3, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!

Chapter 3 - Lost and Found

As Balto crawled onto the rough bed and tried to sleep, he thought of Aleu and how she was doing as a leader. He missed her dearly, and he wished on a star every night that she would return. There were so many thoughts racing through his head that sleep simply would not come to him.

Balto also thought of his past children. How were they managing with their humans? Were they being taken care of properly? Did they miss their parents and their other siblings?

And what about the dreaded Steele? Would he ever return to haunt Jenna? Has he left for good? What if he has hurt one of their family members?

Then there was his mother... where was she? Is her spirit watching over them, keeping them safe, blessing them? Is that how they got through to the cabin, or was it pure luck? He was then rescued from his troubling thoughts by Jenna's soft voice.

"Balto? What's the matter?" she asked worriedly. She looked down at her puppies to make sure they were asleep before getting up to jump onto the bed with her husband.

"Oh... nothing, Jenna, nothing."

Jenna gave him a knowing look and said, "Balto, I always know what's wrong with you." She then paused for a brief moment and changed her voice back to an understanding voice and said slowly, "Now... please tell me what's wrong. I'm the only one here who can help you."

"Hey, I can't help him?" Boris asked sarcastically as he waddled towards them.

"Do you think you can?" Balto asked. Boris thought about that for a minute, shrugged, and turned around and walked to the door.

"Hey, Boris, where are you going?" Jenna asked him as he headed to the door.

"Little Goose's room," he said, giving them a toothy grin as he crawled outside through the doggie door.

"So, Balto... where were we?" Jenna asked as she laid down and placed her paw on his.

"I don't know, Jen... there's just so many things going on in my mind right now."

"Well, like what?" she asked as she cocked her head and looked into his eyes.

"I'm thinking about just about everything that's been going on in my life."

"You mean, like... Aleu, and Aries"  
"Steele," Balto said. "You forgot Steele." At the mention of his name, Jenna gulped hard and looked out the window, but soon turned her attention back to Balto.

"Well, honey, what have you been thinking ab--" She was interrupted by a wolf howl, and it sounded close. Too close.

"Jenna, I'm gonna check this out... go get the puppies and hide under the bed with them until I say it's safe."

"Bal--"

"Please, just do it. I don't want to lose another member of my family." Jenna looked at him sorrowfully and did as she was told quickly.

Balto jumped out of the doggie door quickly and looked at his surroundings. He stuck his nose up in the air and sniffed around. Suddenly, he caught a familiar smell flowing through the wind and went after it.

As he turned the corner of the cozy cabin, the smell started to speak.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" the girl's voice said. Balto turned to look at her and he put on a grin so wide you could've seen it from space.

"Have ya missed me?" she asked him.

"Dog, yes, I have!" Balto shouted. Then he remembered who else would like to see her. He then smiled and motioned for her to follow him into the cabin.

"Jenna? You can come out now! Someone's here to see you," Balto said as he peeked his head under the bed.

"Are you sure it's safe?" Jenna asked.

"Of course I am. Now come on, get outta there!"

Jenna smiled and crawled out. What she saw in front of her made her ecstatic.

"A... Al... Aleu?" Jenna asked in disbelief. Aleu smiled and rushed to her mother.

"Mom!" she yelled as they hugged tightly. Tears were streaming down their faces and Balto rolled his eyes. 'What's with women?' he thought.

"Oh, Aleu, dear, what have you been doing these past few years?"

"Well... my pack decided to break away from me... we're all going off on our own. But most of them went off with their mates or their own little friend groups."

"Oh, well that's just too bad, dear!" Jenna said. Balto agreed and shook his head up and down.

"Who are you with"  
"Oh..." Aleu blushed. "My mate. Say hello to Saint." Then a beautiful wolf walked through the doggie door. He was jet black with yellow eyes that shone like stars. He came and sat beside Aleu and she rested her head on his neck.

"Hello," Saint said politely as he shook Jenna's and Balto's paws.

"Nice to meet you, Saint," Balto said as he smiled.

"Yes, nice to meet you," Jenna added.  
Then Aleu heard little whimpers coming from under the bed.

"Mom, I think the bed is alive," she said, backing up to the wall. Saint stepped forward, ready to protect Aleu from any danger.

Jenna laughed and said, "Don't worry, it's... family." Aleu furrowed her brow and stepped forward.

"Family?"

Jenna nodded once more before placing the puppies, one by one, out on the wooden floor of the cabin. Aleu's face lit up and she instantly nuzzled the puppies, one by one.

"Aww! They're so cute! What are their names?" Aleu asked.

"Well, the reddish-brown one is Rosie, the brown one is Rascal, and the white one is Anaiu," Balto said proudly as he lowered his nose down to Anaiu. Her tiny nose touched his and Balto cracked a small grin and licked it before Saint asked, "Why Anaiu? And how is it pure white? It's very unusual for a puppy to be pure white if its parents are brown and red." 

Balto sighed, squinted his eyes, and looked up at Saint. "I named her after my mother." Balto then rushed outside and sat in the snow.  
"Oh, no... what did I do, Aleu?" Saint asked worriedly. Aleu shrugged. Jenna sighed and said, "Saint, it wasn't your fault. You see, he's... he's a wolf-dog. His father was a dog, and his mother, Anaiu, was a wolf. His mother died in a fight... he hasn't quite gotten over it. She was all he had. He lived by himself until he could talk, and then he ended up getting adopted by a goose named Boris, whom is with us at the moment outside."

"Wow. Long story," Saint said.

"Yeah, I know. But it's sad when you think about it."

"Oh, mom, Boris is here? I wanna see him!" Aleu said excitedly as she ran around the cabin looking for him. "So where is he? I'm gonna rip his head off!" she said playfully.

"He said he had to use the little goose's room," Jenna said. "But that was quite a while ago... he hasn't come back yet."

"Maybe he's outside with Daddy," Aleu suggested.

"Yeah, probably," Jenna said. "I'm gonna check just in case, though."

"Okay, I'll watch my new sibs!" Aleu said. "And you're going to help me," she said to Saint, softly hitting his neck with her paw.

When Jenna came outside and saw Balto sitting on the edge of the mountain that was in the back of the cabin, she ran over to him and sat down beside him and rested her head on his.

"Balto, what's wrong?"

"Nothing... there's just a lot on my mind."

"Honey, I know... but Aleu's here now, that should take one thing off of your mind."

"Yeah, it did... but one's not enough to cure the pain."

Jenna frowned and said, "Balto? HAve you seen Boris anywhere?"

Balto's eyes grew wide. "Oh my dog, no! I completely forgot about him!"

"Me, too... what should we do?" Jenna asked worriedly, standing up. Balto did the same.  
"You're going into the cabin to look after the pups. You tell Aleu and Saint to come help me look for him quickly."

Jenna nodded her head and ran inside.

About two seconds later, Aleu and Saint came sprinting out the door to assist in the search. They yelled out his name and looked everywhere they thought of looking. Aleu, the brave soul that she was, even looked in the smelly outhouse. But it was no use. Boris was nowhere to be found.

End of Chapter 3

Press the purple button, okay? DO IT OR I WILL PERSONALLY HURT YOU! 


	4. Remembering the Totems

Sorry for the long wait... I've been totally busy! Anyway, enjoy! And please review!

Chapter 4 - Remembering the Totems

As Boris was being dragged unwillingly through the snow, he was suffering great pain.

"Ow! what is-- wrong with-- you?" Boris asked the dog dragging him through the snow.

"Shut your herringhole, goose!" the voice bellowed.

"Oh-- you will NOT get away with this!" Boris yelled.

"Wanna bet?" The dog then dropped him, face-first, into the snow.

Boris coughed the snow out of his mouth and said, "Why are you trying to kidnap me? What did I do?"

The black-and-white dog opened his mouth to say something, but thought before speaking. He said to Boris, gazing off into the snow, "You know what-- you're-- you're right! Capturing you is no way to get Jenna to fall for me... I need something bigger!" He then kicked some more snow onto Boris and ran off, leaving him there. Boris tried to get up, but his legs hurt too much to move and he was freezing. He laid there, limp, awaiting his fate. "Balto--" he whispered. "Please-- save--" but then his head dropped, and blood came out of his mouth and his eyes closed.

Meanwhile, back at the cabin, Jenna was laying her puppies in the dog bed one by one, trying to get them to go to sleep.

"Balto... it's okay, I'm sure that we'll find him in the morning," Jenna said.

"I can only hope, Jenna-- but-- what if we never find him?"

"Dad, don't talk like that," Aleu piped up. "If you say that, we WON'T find him."

Balto sighed and hopped up onto the bed as Aleu laid down in the corner with Saint.

Jenna's puppies fell asleep right away, so Jenna carefully got out of the dog bed and sat down beside Balto.

"Balto-- please get out of your state of misery," she whispered. "Aleu is back-- what more could you ask for?"

"Boris."

"Yeah, I know you miss him and all, but you were still miserable before he disappeared. And I want to know why."

"Look-- I don't wanna talk about it."

"You never want to talk about it, Balto!" she yelled. Balto looked up at her with sad eyes and she sighed. "Come on, let's go outside and talk this over." She then got up from the bed and Balto followed her outside.

"Okay... Balto, I really want you to tell me what's going on. I'm concerned about you."

"Jenna, I'm--"

"Don't even try to tell me you're fine."

Balto sighed as a tear fell. "Okay, fine... I'll talk."

Jenna half-smiled and looked into Balto's sad eyes.

"I've been having the dreams again... but this time they're about Aleu."

Jenna looked at him understandingly and he continued.

"They're the same every night. Aleu gets-- taken away every time."

"By who?" Jenna asked quickly.

"That's the thing that bothers me the most. I don't know who it is! I can only see his silhouette in the dream. But... he looks vaguely familiar. He looks like..."

"Like who?" Jenna asked.

Balto sighed and said, "Steele."

Jenna looked down sadly and swallowed the lump in her throat. Her ears drooped down and she said, her head still down, "Don't those dreams usually come true?" she then looked into Balto's deep eyes.

Balto frowned and nodded.

Jenna gazed up into the sky and she ran back inside and laid down with her puppies. Balto watched her run inside and another tear fell as he ran inside behind her. He got up onto the bed and gazed at Aleu and Saint laying peacefully together. Aleu's head was resting on Saint's back, her paw was on top of his. They were sound asleep.

Then he remembered how his mother used to keep him warm like that. How his mother used to give him a piece of her caribou every night, to get him used to the taste for when he got older. How his mother used to put him to sleep every night with the story of the Raven, the Fox, the Bear, the Caribou, the Wolverine, and the Wolf. And he remembered it well.

The Fox-- the cunning trickster.

The Caribou -- life.

The Bear-- inner knowing.

The Wolverine-- his fears.

The Wolf--

Then he remembered... there was nothing for the wolf. His mother never mentioned anything about the wolf. But after his long journey to find Aleu, he discovered what the wolf truly meant. The wolf was himself. The wolf was his mother. And now he realized... the wolf was going to be Anaiu.

He fell asleep, having the dream once more. But this time, he saw who the silhouette truly was. It was as if the silhouette had come alive, even though it was already alive. The silhouette was Steele.

He was rescued from his dreams by a loud sound outside of the rusty cabin. It sounded somewhat like a dogfight. Balto rubbed his eyes and rushed outside quickly to see Saint lying limp in the snow. He was breathing heavily and he was bleeding badly, but it was nothing that wasn't curable.

"Saint, can you talk? What happened? Where's Aleu?"

Saint replied, breathing and pausing every once in a while, "Some stranger-- he was-- black and white. He had-- a-- brown collar on-- it looked like a champion's collar--

"What did he do with Aleu?"

"He-- took her away--"

"Which way did he go?"

Saint winced from his injuries and said, "They went-- that-- way." He pointed in the Eastward direction to a mountain.

Then he remembered. Memories started flooding back into his mind. The mountain that Saint was pointing at was the very mountain that Balto traveled to to find the lost sled team three years ago. He had been here before. But the one thing that he didn't see when he crossed this path was the cabin they were staying at.

But there was a snowstorm brewing that night. What were the odds that he would've seen it? There were too many thoughts going through his mind so many years ago to be aware of his surroundings.

But still, somehow, the cabin was there. He didn't know how, but it was there. And somehow, he didn't see it years ago. Maybe it was there before and he didn't see it. Or maybe it wasn't there years ago. To this, he didn't know what to think.

Then Balto knew he must go find his daughter. But first, he needed to say goodbye to his family. And Saint was kind of considered family.

"Saint... are you okay? Come on, I'll help you inside."

"No, Balto. Go. Go rescue Aleu, I'd be lost without her. Besides, it's not even cold right now, I'll be fine."

Balto smiled but said, "No, I'll feel guilty. Come on." He then picked him up and threw him onto his back and dropped him through the doggie door and then went through it himself.

"Jenna, I have to go find Aleu," Balto said.

"But, Balto... how will Saint and I stay here alone? How are we going to eat?"

"Jenna... do you remember the way home?" Balto asked.

Jenna nodded her head yes and said, "Yeah, I do, but... I don't want to leave you."

"Jenna... you have to. And it's too dangerous for you to stay here in a deserted cabin without food. There are no caribou nearby." He then looked at Saint, who was trying his best to get up.

"Saint... when you are well enough, will you go home with Jenna to protect her? she can't go alone, especially with the puppies.

Saint nodded and he finally got on his feet. Even though he was a little wobbly, he was fine.

Balto smiled and hugged him quickly. "Thank you, my brother."

Then Balto walked over to Jenna and their puppies.

"Jenna... make sure you and the kids get home safe." Jenna smiled and a tear fell from her sorrowful eyes.

Jenna then remembered what she did for Balto on his first journey. She took her bandana off and put it around his neck.

"Here," she said. "It's not much, but it will keep you warm." they smiled at each other and they nuzzled as the memories flooded back to them of his first journey. "Please be careful, Balto."

"Hey-- this is my third journey. You know I'll be back," Balto said as he walked to the dog bed where his puppies were laying.

He nuzzled all of them and said goodbye to them and he rushed out the doggie door into the snow.

Balto's journey had begun.

End of Chapter 4 


	5. Wise Words

Hey everyone, sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm bored, and when I'm bored I update... it's something to do, right? lol... anyway, enjoy chapter 5!

Chapter 5 - Wise Words

As Balto ran through the deep, wet snow, he thought he saw a dark figure way up ahead in front of him. He thought he was seeing things, but he ran faster anyway. How was it possible to see them now? He had just started running after them. Plus, he didn't see them when Saint pointed to the mountain in the first place.

But there WAS something there, he knew. He could feel it all over his body. He wanted to see what it was, so he ran faster.

He stopped running fast when the figure collapsed in the snow. He eventually got to it about five minutes later. It was an all too familiar face.

"Aries? Where did you go two days ago? We were looking all over for you!" Balto exclaimed as he laid down beside Aries.

"Never mind that. Go and find them. You are very close."

"What... how... you know who I'm looking for?" Balto asked uncertainly.

Aries looked up at him and nodded. "Yes, I do. They are stuck up ahead at the pass. If you hurry up, you can reach them."

Balto looked at the far-away mountain up ahead of him and said, "Aries, thank you, but... what about you?" He then looked at Aries. Once again, he had disappeared.

"What the... Aries?" he yelled. "Aries? Where did you go? Why do you always leave me like this?" All he got in response was a deep echo rumbling off the mountainside.

Balto looked around one last time and ran towards the towering mountain. Aries might not be there anymore, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't take his advice.

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"Steele, you SO won't get away with this!" Aleu shouted as Steele tightened the rope around her neck. She cried out in pain.

"One more remark like that and I'll leave you out here in the snow."

Aleu wasn't sure if he was serious or not, but she didn't want to take her chances.

"Now... how do we get out of here?" Steele asked himself.

"You're asking me? I've never been here before!" Aleu exclaimed.

"Who said I was asking you, you little half-breed?" Steele snapped. Aleu glared at him and she lowered her head in sadness at the remark of her being a half-breed.

Then Steele and Aleu heard a familiar howl. Steele's eyes grew wide while Aleu's face lit up with joy.

"It can't be," Steele said as he squinted to try to see the figure sprinting towards them.

"Oh yes it can!" Aleu said as Steele tightened the rope harder around Aleu's neck. Steele then found an opening in the path and ran out of it. He dropped Aleu on the ground and closed it up with a huge rock so that Balto could not get past.

As Balto ran into the mountain pass with a determined look on his face, he saw the rocks and tried to push past them. He tried and tried again, but still could not get past. Steele kept on running.

Balto's muscles soon gave out and one of them gave way and sent a sharp pain throughout his back and his left forearm, causing him to collapse in the snow and cry out in pain. He laid there for awhile, limp and in excruciating pain.

Then a blizzard started blowing in from the south. "Great, something else to add to everything else that's going wrong," he said out loud. It wasn't as if anyone could hear him out here. He was alone. Or was he?

Balto's hope was almost lost when he remembered Boris' words very clearly.

"Let me tell you something, Balto. A dog cannot make this journey alone."

Balto sighed and started playing around with the snow.

"But maybe a wolf can."

Balto's eyes grew wide as Boris' words flooded back into his mind. Those words were the words that got him through his first journey. Those words were the words that helped him climb up that wretched cliff. Those words were the words that had saved half of Nome.

And those words were the words that would get him through this journey. And all the journeys to come.

End of Chapter 5 


	6. Chapter 6

To the following reviewers:

Dax the metalhead - I'm not sure how to spell Anaiu's name, and I thought this looked right :). I'm gonna stick with this spelling for now until I find out for sure that it's spelled the other way, but thank you!

Melee Master1 - I'm glad that you like this story, but when I looked at your profile there wasn't anything in there about you liking Balto. Did you just now start to like it? Well, anyway, I'm glad you like this, and thank you SOOOOO much for putting it on your faves!

On to chappie 6! Oh, and I finished my Phil of the Future fic, so I'll have more time for this one now. Enjoy!

Chapter 6

With every ounce of his strength, Balto struggled to his feet. He fell a few times, but he eventually got up and started a slow walk.

After about five minutes, he began to walk normally. With the images of all who loved him, something deep inside him told him to keep going. So now, he ran.

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Meanwhile, Steele and Aleu were trying to find shelter.

"There are no dang-blasted caves around here? You have got to be kidding me!" Steele said angrily.

"Are we gonna freeze?" Aleu asked worriedly.

"Well, I won't. But YOU might if I find just enough shelter for me."

Aleu growled at him with a cold glare that made Steele turn away. He had to admit to himself that he was a little afraid of her.

Finally Steele found some shelter. Luckily, it was big enough to hold them both.

They settled in and then Steele said, "Well, looks like you lucked out, half-breed."

"Yeah, I... guess I did," she said as she looked down at the snow.

Steele looked at him with hurt in his eyes. But he shook it off soon after and he laid down on the very opposite corner of the cave. Aleu went to te other side.

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Balto decided to find shelter for the night also, so he found a very small cave that was connected to Steele's and Aleu's. But none of the three knew this yet.

Balto was a bit afraid to be in the cave alone, but he braved it out and he laid down at the very back so he would be safe from any harm. He fell asleep within a matter of a minute.

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"Steele, can I ask you a question?" Aleu asked.

"Depends," he replied, his eyes still closed.

Aleu just came out with her question. "What do you think you're gaining from this?"

Steele just looked at her a bit uncertainly.

"Why are you kidnapping me? Do you think this is any way for my mom to fall for you?"

Steele's eyes grew wide. It was as if she could read his thoughts.

Aleu just looked at him, awaiting her answer. He said nothing. She just looked at him with sad eyes, and he gazed back. She turned away and tried to go to sleep.

"Just something to think about, Steele."

They both said nothing more.

End of Chapter 6

Okay, sorry it was REALLY short, but I didn't really have any ideas, so... yeah. Review, please! 


	7. New Friends?

Hey everyone! Sorry the last update totally sucked monkey butt, but I didn't really have any ideas... here's chapter 7, enjoy!

Chapter 7 - New Friends?

The next morning, the bright sun shined in Balto's eyes, waking him up.

"Ugh," he grunted. "Why must the sun wake me up during my FIRST dream-free sleep?"

He shook it off and got up. He stretched and then went to the mouth of the cave and sat down and looked out.

"Where are they?" he asked himself. "Did they find shelter somewhere overnight or did they keep going?"

And his most important thought... "Will I ever find them?"

He didn't know for sure. All he knew was that he had to try. So he stretched once more and ran off into the mountains.

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Aleu yawned and her eyes opened slowly. She glanced over at Steele and noticed that he was still asleep. Now was her chance to escape.

She got up and ran out of the cave, careful not to wake Steele.

She wasn't sure where to go. Should she go back to the cabin, or should she head north?

She knew she didn't have time to sit and decide, so she followed her heart and ran north. Luckily, she was able to escape from Steele.

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Meanwhile, Balto had stopped running for awhile because he was starting to get tired. And he had also realized something. He was colder than usual.

He looked down at his neck and all he saw was fur.

"Oh no," he said out loud. He looked around and saw nothing. "Where is it?" he exclaimed.

He frowned and put his head down. Once again, he had lost Jenna's bandana. Now she would have to buy another one.

"Great. She's gonna hate me now," he thought.

He laid down in the snow for a second to rest. It wasn't too long before he heard a somewhat familiar howl.

Balto's ears pricked up at the sound of the howl. He turned around and saw a dark figure coming up behind him. It wasn't Aleu, it wasn't Saint, it most certainly wasn't Jenna. He wasn't sure who it was, so he ran away from it.

The dark figure was gaining on him and it wouldn't stop. He feared that he might be crossing another wolf's territory, but he didn't care right now. All he cared about was finding Aleu and getting home safe with her.

He eventually gave up the running. He was just going to have to take his chances. The dark figure came closer, and Balto saw that it was Steele before he approached.

"Forget something?" Steele asked rather nicely. Balto glared at him and swiped the bandana from Steele's grasp.

"Steele, where did you take Aleu?" he asked angrily, slipping the bandana around his neck.

"That's why I'm here. I'm looking for her."

"What do you mean, YOU'RE looking for her? You were the one that took him in the first place!" he exclaimed, moving intimidatingly closer to Steele. He backed up slightly with every step that Balto took.

"No, you don't understand."

"Oh, yes I do, believe me. You want me to think that so that I'll team up with you to find her, and then when we do, you're gonna hurt me."

"That's not true! We found shelter last night, and when I woke up this morning she wasn't there. I was running out here to try to find her. I thought that you were her... you guys look so much alike, I was mistaken. That's why I wouldn't give up my chase."

Balto stared at him and said, "Oh. Well then... I guess we should get going."

Steele's eyes grew wide. Even though he WAS telling the truth, he couldn't believe that Balto believed him. He was afraid that if he asked if he believed him he would change his mind, so he said nothing.

"O... okay, let's go," Steele said, trying to hide his astonishment.

Balto and Steele locked eyes. For a moment it was as if they were best friends. Balto cracked a small grin at Steele and then they walked, side by side, into the mountains.

End of Chapter 7

Okay, there you go with an update. I will most likely be updating before Christmas, but if not, Happy Holidays! 


	8. One Friend Leads to Another

I finally saw Balto 3, everyone! I loved it! Anyway... I am deeply sorry that I haven't updated in so long... but school is getting in the way. Luckily, that's what weekends are for! Please enjoy and review!

Chapter 8 - One Friend Leads to Another

"Hey... Balto?" Steele asked.

"Yeah, Steele?"

"Remember when my team and I got lost in these mountains that one time?" he said as he looked around, reflecting on the time he and the team could have frozen to death.

"Yeah, I do. What about it?" Balto asked, looking around and reflecting also.

"I never got a chance to thank you. I mean, you saved our lives! We could have frozen to death if it wasn't for you." Balto smiled.

"You're welcome, Steele."

They walked in silence for about five to six minutes until Steele remembered something he wanted to tell Balto.

"You know something, Balto? Your daughter was the one who made me realize what I'd done wrong in my life."

"She did? How?"

"Well... after I took her, we settled down in a cave for the night and she asked me if I thought this was any way for her mother to fall for me, and if I thought this was helping me get along with my life. That really made me realize what I'd done wrong all these years. I was so worried when she disappeared the next morning... which is today."

Balto felt a pang of sadness at the mention of his lost daughter, but also a stroke of happiness. He had always been proud of her, and he was so relieved that she had returned. If only she would do it again.

Balto smiled and said, "I'm very proud of her. I've always been proud in all that she's done." Steele glanced at Balto and watched him look down. He frowned. "I just wish she was around so I could tell her."

Steele frowned. He felt deeply for Balto and his family. It couldn't be easy to have to deal with Aleu, and it couldn't be easy for the family to deal with Balto. He didn't even live with them. He knew in many ways that his life was much easier than his, and he knew it always had been.

"Balto, if you have negative thoughts about this whole thing, there's a good chance we won't find her. But if you have a good attitude, I know we'll find her."

Balto smiled, but then frowned again.

"Just look at the stars. They will light your way."

Balto looked up at the twinkling balls of gas above him and thought. He thought about Jenna. He thought about Aleu. But most importantly, he thought of the goose he had forgotten about. Boris.

"Steele! I forgot about Boris!"

Steele then remembered what he had done with him. He didn't have the guts to tell Balto what he had done. "Uh... isn't that the goose?"

"Yes! Yes, it is! Back at the cabin, he went outside and then he disappeared! Will you help me look for him?"

Steele looked into Balto's glistening eyes. He couldn't say no.

"Of course I will!" he said, hesitating slightly. "C'mon, let's go!" Steele then began running back a little ways before he stopped.

"Hey! Why'd you stop?" Balto asked, backing up to join Steele at his side.

"Balto, I did a bad thing. A very bad thing. I can't hold it in anymore!"

"Steele! What did you do? Just tell me!"

"Okay... I..." a tear fell from his eye. Balto had never thought that he would see Steele cry. But there was always a first time for everything.

Then Steele finished his sentence. "I... I killed Boris! Okay? I killed Boris!" he yelled.

Balto's mouth dropped wide open. "Are you serious?"

Steele collapsed in the snow and looked up sadly at Balto. "Yes," he said, his voice cracking.

Balto gently laid down beside Steele in the snow and put his paw on his back. "Steele," he said. Steele looked at him. "You can't change the past. You can't change what you've done. But you can apologize."

Steele found it hard to believe that Balto wasn't more upset about losing his best friend. "Aren't you mad at me?"

Balto looked up at the stars. "Kinda. I know now that you've changed. Right?"

"Oh, absolutely, Balto! I'll never do anything like that again!"

Balto looked down at Steele and smiled. "That's good to hear. Now, where was he when you first left him?"

"About 2 miles south from the cabin."

"Okay. That shouldn't take too much time if we run," Balto said, with a determined look as he turned his head towards the southerly direction.

"Balto, are you crazy? It'll take forever to get there and back to find Aleu."

"Steele... one friend leads to another."

Steele didn't get what he meant. Balto took off running south. Steele had no choice but to follow him.

End of Chapter 8

Sorry it was short... please review! 


	9. Crossing Paths

Sorry I haven't been updating for so long, guys! Schoolwork has really been getting in my way, and I also have two other fics going along with this one. Since you've been waiting for so long, here's an update! Enjoy and review!

Chapter 9 - Crossing Paths

"Balto!" Steele shouted after him. "Where are you going? Have you gone mad?"

"No," he said, slowing his pace a little and turning his head towards Steele, still running. "I know where we're going, trust me."

"HOW do you know where you're going? Give me one way."

"Just follow me. Don't you trust me?"

"Of course I do. I just don't want to end up lost incase you DON'T know where you're going after all."

It was then that Balto stopped running and sniffed the air.

"Hey, Steele? Do you smell something?" Balto asked suspiciously, pawing at the snow gently.

"No. Why, do you?"

"Yeah... yeah, I do."

"Well, what does it smell like?" Steele asked. He was beginning to think that Balto had lost his mind.

"I'm not too sure... it smells like... wolf," Balto said, looking around sharply and quickly.

"No... please no!" Steele yelled as he saw four sets of beady eyes coming towards them. They both stood their ground and waited for the fight to begin.

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Meanwhile, while Aleu struggled through the buffeting snowstorm, without knowing, she had turned around. She was heading south; the same direction as her father and his ex-foe.

All of a sudden, she began to lose faith with every step she took. She dropped in the snow and laid there for who knows how long before she smelled a different sort of smell... one she had never smelled before. Her ears pricked up, and she thought she saw a small shadow before her. She slowly raised her head and the hair on the back of her neck rose up and her teeth bared. But the strange creature did not move a muscle.

Suddenly, the snow started to calm down a bit and she could see clearly now. The creature was one that she had never seen before... it was plump, and it had spiraling horns on the top of its head. Then, it spoke to her.

"Hello. I am Aries the ram. I have come to show you the right direction."

Aleu's teeth bared even more and she backed up a bit. Aries still did not move. All that did move were his black, knowing eyes.

"Aleu. Please try to understand. I am here to help you."

"H-H-How do you know my name?" Aleu asked, now beginning to get worried.

"I see and know everything."

Aleu furrowed her brow slightly. "H-How?"

"Never mind that. Now," he said, turning around to face the southerly direction, and backing up behind Aleu ever so slightly, "You must go that way to find your destination."

"How do you know my destination? Why should I trust you? Who are you?"

She looked around, but the wise ram was nowhere to be found.

"Aries? Aries?" she shouted, looking around frantically. She continued to call out his name, but there was no reply. She sat in the snow and thought.

Who was that? she thought. How did he know so much about me? How did he know where I was heading? The thoughts circled around her head like leaves blowing on an autumn breeze. She finally decided on what she was going to do. She was going to follow his advice. She didn't care anymore about what was going to happen. She would rather die than to never see her mother or Saint again. She would rather die a happy life, in front of a warm fire, with a few small puppies by her side, not out here in cold, hard, menacing snow.

She would rather die than to never see her father again. As much as she hated to admit it, she could never live on without her father. She would never live a full life without her father. And she would never feel safer with anyone but her father.

It was this thought that kept Aleu trudging on through the snow, in the way Aries had told her to go. She was willing to accept his wise words; she had a feeling deep inside of her that in some odd way, some strange, awkward way, she somehow knew him.

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"Who are you?" Balto asked, the leading wolf's figure blocked by the blinding snow.

"Why do you care? You're on our territory. Get out while you still can," the leader yelled. Balto scowled and stood his ground, while Steele growled and snarled at the others.

"I'm only passing through to find two animals that are very close to me. Please... let me through."

"If you want through, you have to go through all of us," one wolf said, coming up behind the leader.

"Bring it on!" Steele yelled. Then the goon wolf jumped up onto Steele's back and clawed and bit at him. Steele yelped in pain; he was helpless. Balto growled and his teeth bared as he took the goon wolf by the leg and swung him off of Steele's back and into the snow with a loud thud a few feet away. He laid motionless.

"Thanks, buddy!" Steele said as another wolf approached them. Oblivious to Balto and Steele, he was merely just a distraction as another wolf came up behind Steele and sank his teeth into the back of his neck. Steele started to breathe heavily and he dropped into the snow, motionless, the wound in his neck bleeding heavily. He could not get up... he was paralyzed for a brief moment. Now it was Balto's battle.

As soon as he saw Steele lying down on the ground in horrid pain, he switched to complete battle mode. He sprang up onto the wolf who attacked Steele and his fury and young spirit came flooding back to him. He was nothing but strength, fury, and anger now.

With one blow, he had the wolf down on the ground, also paralyzed for a moment or two. He was now out of this battle. Two down, two to go... then came the leader.

Another wolf, this one brown with black spots and huge, mighty paws with piercing claws, rounded Balto, trying to intimidate him. Balto stood his ground and showed no fear. At this, the wolf backed down a bit and then sprang. Balto ducked and the wolf sailed right over his head into a rock, breaking it in half with his head. He instantly stopped breathing and stopped moving. His head began to bleed terribly and Balto looked away.

Three down, one to go... then came the leader.

The next challenger had piercing red eyes that shone with fury and many battle experiences. He was much taller than Balto... but his muscle tone was weak, meaning that he had clearly no experience. This one was going to be easy.

The brown wolf jumped up in the air and hit Balto in the face with his hind legs, sending a scratch from Balto's right eye all the way down to his shoulder. It hurt badly, but Balto ignored the pain and charged towards his foe. He couldn't give up now.

He slashed the wolf two or three times and he fell down onto the ground. Balto pounced on top of him and bit his ear mercilessly. The wolf yelped in pain and stopped fighting.

Four down... now came the leader. 


	10. IMPORTANT Authors' Note

Just lettin' y'all know that I'm changing the name of this fic to Balto: Love and Losses. I'll have the next chapter up soon! Again, I'm sorry if it takes me a while to update! 


	11. Chapter 10

Alrighty then... well, I guess it's about time for an update for this fic! Sorry for the long delay... I've been really busy! But now I'm updating, so... be thankful! Enjoy!

Chapter 10

Balto and the lead wolf began to circle round and round until one of them was ready to spring to begin the battle. It was Balto that made the first move. He jumped up into the air towards the leader, his teeth bared and his growl deep and menacing. The lead wolf showed no fear and no intimidation towards Balto as he moved out of the way smoothly, sending Balto sailing over to the edge of the cliff.

Now, hanging on to the edge of the cliff with nothing but his sharp claws, Balto saw his life flash before him. He had no chance of living now; it would take a miracle.

And a miracle it was. Suddenly, a familiar half-wolf snuck up behind the leader, clawing and biting at his back mercilessly and intimidatingly, showing no fear of him. The leader rolled over onto his back, but it did nothing to the half-wolf except startle her.

Now the two circled and circled each other as Steele wobbled over to Balto to help him up with all of his strength. Balto recognized the half-breed immediately and smiled a huge smile.

"Aleu! Be careful!" he shouted to his life-saving daughter, whom had just sprung onto the lead wolf. Now they were rolling over and over towards the cliff... but once again, the lead wolf had his enemy hanging over the edge of the cliff.

Balto thought for the only spare seconds he had of to what he should do, because it was clear that this was a battle that Aleu could not fight by herself. He finished thinking and ran over to the two, headstrong and confident.

Balto charged at the leader's backside and sent him sailing over the cliff. He then pulled Aleu up slowly as Steele ran over to help him lift her up.

Once they were all safe and quite a few feet away from the cliff, they each caught their breath and Aleu pounced on her father, smiling and crying tears of joy. Balto matched his daughter's expression.

"Papa... I thought I would never find you!" Aleu shouted, licking Balto nonstop.

Balto smiled and said, "Well... it looks like you thought wrong."

Aleu looked up at her father, smiling. "Dad... I hope you know that you just saved my life."

"You saved mine... it was the least I could do," he replied jokingly. Aleu laughed and then nuzzled Balto again.

"Hey, Papa... why is HE here?" Aleu asked, a somewhat frightened expression on her face as she looked at Steele and bared her teeth slightly.

"Yeah... I need to explain that to you, dear. You see, Steele here has turned over a new leaf," Balto said, walking over to sit beside Steele.

Aleu looked at the two confusedly. "And you believe him WHY?" she asked. Steele frowned.

"Honey... I just do."

"HOW many times has he played tricks and jokes on you? HOW many times has he called you names and tortured you to death?" she asked. Steele just looked down at the snow sadly.

Aleu paid him no mind. She just looked at her father, her eyebrows raised, awaiting her answer.

Balto sighed and said, "Aleu, dear... it's a long story."

With that, Aleu plopped her butt in the snow with a thud and said, "I've got time."

Balto sighed and laid down in the snow along with Steele and he began telling her what had happened while she was gone.

End of Chapter 10

I know it was short, but this was all I could think of at the moment. Review, please! 


	12. Happenings

Here's an update! Sorry for the long delay!

Chapter 11 - Happenings

"Wow..." Aleu said. She had just heard the extremely long story that her father had told her about Steele turning over a new leaf. "I never thought that this could happen."

"Aleu, everyone can change... it's just that some need more effort and help than others."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," she said, sending a small smile over to Steele. He returned the favor.

"So... now what are we gonna do?" Steele asked. Aleu and Balto exchanged confused looks.

"I'm really not sure..." Balto said. Aleu and Steele twisted their mouths, a bit disappointed.

"We're gonna be stuck out here forever, aren't we?" Aleu said, starting to panic. "I wanna go home... I miss mom, Saint, and Boris. Hey! Boris! Where is he?"

Balto and Steele looked at each other sadly. Balto looked at his daughter with a sympathetic expression and told her what happened to him.

"Aleu, honey... he's... dead."

Aleu's mouth dropped open and her eyes filled with tears. "What do you mean he's dead? He can't be dead! We didn't even get a chance to hang out together!" She dropped down in the snow and covered her face with her paws and began to weep mercilessly. Balto laid down beside her and put a paw around her, trying to comfort her. She buried her face in his fur, drying a fraction of the tears that rolled down her face.

Steele looked at Aleu and was faced with the fact that it was he who had done this. He didn't know what to do. If he told her, he would surely get ripped to shreds... physically and emotionally. But if he didn't tell her...

"Aleu?" he said, trying to get her attention. She looked up, her puffy eyes and tear-stained face making Steele feel even more guilty. "I... it was me. I did it."

Balto's eyes grew wide as saucers; he couldn't believe that Steele had actually told her that he had done it.

"YOU did it?" she asked. Steele sadly nodded his head. "But... why? What did he ever do to you?"

Steele sighed and said, "It was before you helped me realize that I wasn't living my life to the fullest; before I turned over my new leaf. I was dragging him through the snow and then I realized that it was no way to get Jenna to fall for me. So I left him there all alone in the snow... he froze to death. I'm so sorry, Aleu..." Then, a small, slow tear ran down his face as well; but it was no match to Aleu's previous waterworks.

Aleu sighed and more tears ran down her face; until she recalled something he had said in his "I did it" sentence. "Wait... did you say I was the one that turned over your new leaf?"

Steele was sitting, waiting for the worst to happen; but it didn't. He was surprised that Aleu hadn't gone all-out on him. "Yes... yes, it was you."

"How?" she said suddenly. Steele couldn't help but crack a grin.

"Well... remember when we were in that cave together, and you gave me that whole think about it speech? Well... it worked."

Aleu looked down at the snow and gave him a small grin. She curled one paw under her to try to keep warm and then said, "Wow... I didn't think it would. To me, it always seemed that you were so hard to get through to."

"Yeah, well... surprisingly, I'm not... at least most of the time."

Aleu laughed and Balto did the same. Then, Balto, after a few minutes, spoke up. "Well... it looks like we should be heading back to the cabin now. We need to see if Jenna made it home yet."

"Yeah, good idea," Steele said, getting up, using his paw as leverage. Aleu stood up as well, and they began following Balto whichever way he was going.

End of Chapter 11

Review! Sorry it was kinda short... but I hope you still liked it as good as any old update lol. 


	13. Journey Home

Hey guys and gals... here's another update! Sorry for the like... mile-long delay, I've been busy, as usual... school is evil... my TEACHERS are evil... especially my ELA teacher, she hates me... to those of you that haven't given up on me, with all the long times in between that I haven't updated... THANK YOU! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! Haha okay, I'm probably boring you with my personal life, so let's move on. Enjoy my update!

Chapter 12 - Journey Home

"Papa?" Aleu asked. "How much longer?"

"Yeah, Balto... I'm tired, cold, and hungry... I wanna go home," Steele said.

"Yeah, me too," Aleu agreed.

"Stop complaining," Balto snapped. "I don't know where we are and I don't know how long it's gonna take before we get there. Please just shut UP and we'll get there soon!"

Aleu and Steele looked at each other with wide eyes. They gave each other a look that said, "What's wrong with him?"

Aleu, being the rebel that she was, couldn't help at keeping her feelings inside, so her thoughts became words. "Dad, what's wrong with you?"

Balto's eyes squinted as he tried to calm himself before answering his daughter's question. He then said, "I'm just stressed. I need to be left alone, so please just do as I say without arguing... for once."

Aleu understood how he felt perfectly. She said nothing, but nodded her head as if to say, "Yes, sir." Steele said nothing and did nothing.

They trudged on through the snow in silence for about 20 minutes. Steele and Aleu trailed behind Balto, trusting him every step of the way; it was easy to trust him, so they weren't that worried. Finally, after what seemed like almost eons, they reached their destination; the snowy cabin that would be their shelter for the night.

They ran inside and Balto said nothing; he did not even look at the two. He just curled up on the bed and rested his head on the pillow. Aleu and Steele frowned at each other and then looked at him, concern on their faces. Balto's eyes were closed, therefore he did not see their expressions. And, frankly, Aleu and Steele somehow knew that even if he did see them, he wouldn't have cared anyway.

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That night, Balto awoke in the middle of the night, disturbed by his dreams once again. He gave up on sleeping after trying to fall back into it and went outside to gaze at the stars and think.

"Oh, mother... it's times like these when I find I still need you..." Balto said clearly enough for the stars to hear him. All he heard was the wind whipping through the air, almost whispering to him.

He sat there in silence. His eyes twinkled as he looked up, swearing he could see his mother's face in the shape of a cloud passing by the gleaming moon, casting a shadow on his face. He heard a wolf howl in the distance, and he saw the silhouette of a familiar figure in front of him. When he saw it, he did not flinch nor frighten; he let the creature approach him.

"It's about time you got here," Balto said. "I've needed you."

"I am sorry; I had a few more important things to take care of first. But now I am here. Now; what do you need?" Aries said.

"I'm just... I... I've been having these dreams..." Balto said. Aries nodded, gesturing him to go on. "They've been bothering me lately, and I can't sleep to save my life."

Aries smiled and said, "You're thinking too much. Just relax. Don't let it all collapse in your lap, it's not all yours."

"What do you mean by that?" Balto questioned.

"You'll see in time. I know it," he said.

"Aries... if you leave me again I swear I'm gonna..." Balto said.  
He was interruped by the wise ram. "I must go now. Trust me, you will understand soon. I promise you that."

"But... how?" Balto asked with pleading eyes.

"Follow the clues!" he said. Again, the wind starting ripping and the air got colder. It swept over the ram and he disappeared into the unknown.

Balto sighed and plopped down in the snow. But then, he saw something he couldn't believe.

In the ram's place was a pawprint. Balto looked at it curiously, wondering if it was a hoax. He decided that Aries would never try to hurt him; he had been helping him, even though he didn't understand a word he said. So; was he really helping? Or was he trying to play silly mind games with him?

Balto put it to the back of his mind. It was time to put this pawprint to the test. He slowly but surely placed his paw on the top of the deep, big pawprint imprinted in the snow. Balto took it away and looked at the pawprint.

It was the same size and the same shape as the print. Balto then remembered when this had happened before.

Then it all became clear to him, after all of this journey. Anaiu was his spirit guide.

Balto gleamed with joy as the white snow and the cold air came back again, showing Aries' true form; the majestic white wolf; his mother.

"I knew there was something fishy about you, Aries..." Balto said, grinning.

Anaiu smiled and gave a deep howl. Balto did not join in, but waited for her to finish and did one himself. Then they joined in together, becoming one. She disappeared after that, and Balto grinned widely and ran back inside, waking Aleu and Steele up.

"Come on, wake up! We need to get going!" Balto exclaimed.

Aleu yawned and groaned. "Five more minutes, Papa! How long did I sleep... like... 30 minutes!" she asked angrily.

"Actually, you got about 2 or 3 hours," Balto said. "At least you got some. Now come on! I wanna be home before dark"  
"It IS dark! You're already screwed, so go back to sleep!" she said, turning back over and closing her eyes.

"Aleu, if you don't get up we're gonna leave without you!" Balto exclaimed.

Aleu looked up at him with a somewhat worried expression and said, "You wouldn't really do that, would you?"

"Wanna bet?" he said. Aleu gave him a glare.

Balto laughed and said, "You two wait outside the door and don't move. I'll be right out."

"Okay," Steele said, motioning to Aleu to follow him out the door. She nodded and did what she was suggested to do.

Balto watched them leave and looked around the cabin, taking in the moment of the cabin that his puppies were born in. He looked at the bed, and thought he saw the name embroidered into the front of it. It read, "Anaiu."

Balto's eyes grew wide. This was just too weird, it didn't make sense to him. All of a sudden, while he was out to find Aleu, his mother shows up and his puppies are born in her old bed. Was it mere coincidence? Or was it purposely meant to be this way?  
Balto didn't know and frankly, he didn't want to find out. The unknown remains the unknown; the known remains the known. He needed to start excepting that. He smiled and ran out the door to Aleu and Steele. They began following Balto on the long, yet worth it; journey home.

End of Chapter 12 


	14. Home At Last

Last chapter! Thanks for all the wonderful reviews! Bye for now!

Chapter 13 – Home At Last

As the animals trudged through the snow cold and wet, Aleu looked up ahead and saw rainbow-colored lights flashing. She wasn't sure what to think, so she asked her father.

"Papa… what are those?" she asked him. Balto looked where she was pointing to with her nose and smirked. It was the lantern of northern lights.

"Jenna," he said with a grin. He started to run after the lights, not stopping for anything.

Aleu and Steele followed him, knowing, for once, what he meant.

Jenna waited anxiously for them to return home. She had been putting these up all night for the past few days, and it had never worked. She was about ready to give up all of her hope.

Then, she heard a wolf's howl off in the near distance. Her heart leapt as she looked up.

There was Balto, Steele, and Aleu coming up over the mountain. She ran to them at a bounding speed.

She nuzzled Aleu and smiled at Steele. They walked off talking to each other, leaving her and Balto alone.

Jenna nuzzled him hard and closed her eyes. They sat there together for what seemed like a perfect century. Then they turned to the stars.

"Welcome home, Balto," she said.

He smiled at her as a wolf… a familiar wolf… howled in the distance.


End file.
